Winding device for retractable roofs



June 6, 1944. A, HEUER WINDING'DEVICE FOR RETRACTABLE ROOFS Filed June12, 1942 mmMJzz-ae;

' IN VEN TOR.

ATTDRNEYE Patented June 6, 1944 \VINDING DEVICE FOR RETRACTABLE ROOFSHans H. A. Heuer, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Application June 12, 1942, Serial No. 446,783

I 1 Claim.

My invention relates to protective coverings for shading purposes, suchas roof structures for shading growing crops, and has among its objectsand advantages the provision of an improved Winding device forretractable roofs.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is an end view;

Figure 2 is a top View;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view; and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but illustrating a modified formof construction.

In the embodiment selected for illustration, I make use of two spaced,upright supports Ill between which a roll I2 is positioned. This roll isprovided with a bearing shaft l4 extending loosely through a slot 16 ineach of the supports ID. A crank 18 is attached to the shaft Hi toimpart rotation to the roll l2, as when winding up the flexible roof 20.I

Each support I is provided with two right angular arms 22 for rotatablysupporting rolls 24 spaced in a horizontal plane and paralleling theroll l2. The two rolls 24 are rotatably mounted in the arms 22 andconstitute rotary rests for the roll l2, as well as the convolutedroofing 26 on the roll l2.

The roofing 20 is doubled back upon itself and secured to the roll l2,as at 28. The bend in the roofing is located at the transverse centerline of the roofing. The end portion 30 of the roofing is pulled fromthe roll l2 in one direction, while the other half portion 32 is pulledfrom the roll in the opposite direction. Both half portions aresimultaneously wound upon the roll 12 through rotation of the roll.

In a construction such as that illustrated, the roll is located betweentwo fields or at a central position in a large field. Suitable racksare, of course, provided for the roofing portions 30 and 32. Such racksare old and need not be described in detail.

The winding action of the roll I2 is a rapid one in that two roofportions are simultaneously wound on the roll. The roll 12 iseffectively supported by reason of the two spaced rolls 24, whichsupport extends through the entire length of the roll l2. Since therolls 24 are spaced equal distances beneath and laterally of the axis ofthe roll I2, variable diameters incident to winding up and unwinding theroofing is compensated by reason of the sliding mounts for the shaft I4.This shaft slides freely vertically in the slots IE but effectivelyrestrains the roll from lateral displacement.

Figure 4 illustrates a modification in that the cross arms 34corresponding to the cross arms 22 support a plurality of spaced bars 36upon which isks or short rollers 38 are mounted. The elements 38 arearranged in end to end overlapping relationship.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully illustrate myinvention, that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adaptthe same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

In a device of the type described, the combination of a wind-up roll,roofing attached to the roll and adapted to be wound thereon, saidroofing extending laterally from the roll in two directions and beingsimultaneously wound on the roll through rotation of the latter in onedirection, a support for said roll, said support including rollerelements engageable with the roll or with the roofing convolutedthereon, and means for guiding the roll toward and away from said rollerelements to compensate for variable diameters incident to winding up andunwinding the roofing with respect to the roll, said roller elementscomprising a plurality of circular members arranged in partialoverlapping relationship end to end.

HANS H. A. HEUER.

